Queen Latifah

Tupac Shakur

LL Cool J

T.I.

Ice Cube

Mos Def

[Photo Credit: Showtime]

Mark Wahlberg

[Photo Credit: Warner Bros.]

Will Smith

With Ice Cube’s latest film, Ride Along, coming out in theaters today, we couldn’t help but briefly reminisce about the hip-hop hits Cube dropped back in the day. Whatever prompted him to switch gears and make forays into TV and film, we’re just glad he’s still on the scene. And of course, he’s far from the only rapper who got the itch to flex his or her acting chops, so we decided to take a look at some of the other hip-hop stars who’ve graced the big screen.

Whether they’ve peppered their acting reel with cameo appearances or if they’ve landed starring roles, the hip-hop heavyweights on our list have managed to grab the attention of major networks and film studios. They’ve also had to test their skills alongside some serious Hollywood veterans, which is no easily feat. But they took it all in stride and came through with performances that still entertain us to this day.

So who are the 25 best rappers who’ve tried their hands at acting? Hop into our gallery and learn more about your favorite stars best roles!